Giving thanks

Published 12:00 am Saturday, November 23, 2002

Thanksgiving Day is centered on gathering friends and relatives for a great meal. Whether you are having a small gathering or large, it is fun to have your home looking festive and inviting with fall dcor.

Many people skip decorating for Thanksgiving and go right into Christmas decorations. Vicki Trimble of the Hardy Geranium says that people still like to have a fall centerpiece for Thanksgiving Day even if they have Christmas decorations up.

"Some people bring in their own containers and I decorate them with dried hydrangeas, Indian corn and grasses," Trimble

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said.

People can get creative and make their own table decorations by cutting out the center on Jack Be Little pumpkins and use them as candle holders. Antique pieces that are sitting in the corners or storage take on a whole new dimension when fresh cut flowers are placed in them and used for unique centerpieces.

"If the centerpiece is too large, you just remove it from the table and place it over to the side when you serve dinner," Trimble said.

Boyfriends and husbands can get in good with their mates on Thanksgiving Day by bringing them a bouquet of flowers. Trimble has had the same men stop by each year to get a fresh bouquet for their spouses. They do this to show appreciation for all the work that their mate is doing in preparing the Thanksgiving dinner, she said.

The meal is the main event for this holiday.

The person who cooks the meal should be able to enjoy this occasion as much as the invited guests. The cook, to avoid panicking, should plan the Thanksgiving meal about a week in advance. Read through recipes you plan to make, jotting down shopping ingredients, table decorations, cooking equipment and serving pieces you might need. Give yourself plenty of time to do the shopping. Then breakdown what you will start to prepare first -- from the moment your guests arrive, to the final cleanup. Preparing things in advance will reduce feeling rushed and you can be relaxed when your guests arrive.

According to an old cookbook, "Man in the Kitchen," if the cook is sipping a glass of wine when guests arrive, it sets the tone for a relaxed meal. Preparing some foods ahead of time will allow you more time to be with your guests.

Tips for roasting that turkey

Turkey is traditionally the meat of choice for Thanksgiving Day. For the best flavor and texture seek out a farm fresh, ready to cook bird with creamy white to creamy yellow skin that looks moist and supple. If you use a frozen turkey make sure it is defrosted completely in the refrigerator before cooking.

For the best results in cooking your bird, roast on a wire roasting rack that is set inside a sturdy open pan. The pan needs to be equal to the size of the turkey. If you choose to stuff your bird it is advised to truss it. This is supporting the bird so it keeps its shape while roasting and basting it. The following tips come from the book, "Thanksgiving, Festive Recipes for the Holiday Table" by the Williams Sonoma Kitchen Library.

Cooking the turkey

1. Check the body and neck cavities and remove the necks and any packaged giblets inside the bird. Rinse the bird inside and out with cold running water and pat dry with paper towels. With your fingers, pull out and discard any pieces of fat from the cavities.

2. If you choose to stuff the turkey, use a large spoon or your hands to transfer the prepared stuffing, packaging it loosely into the body and neck cavities. Do not overfill, as the stuffing expands while the turkey roasts. Rub the turkey with any seasonings called for in the recipe.

3. To secure the stuffing, pass several trussing pins through the skin on both sides of the main cavity. Cut a generous length of kitchen string and starting at the topmost pin, interlace the string back and forth as you would shoelaces. Pull it snug and tie it securely at the bottom.

4. Transfer the turkey to a rack in a roasting pan. Cut a piece of string about 10 inches (25 cm) long. Cross the drumsticks, wind the string around the drumsticks and tie the ends tightly. Tuck the wing tips under the body

5. During the roasting, use a large spoon or a bulb roaster to collect the pan juices and pour them evenly over the entire turkey while cooking. About 30 minutes before the estimated roasting time, start testing for doneness.

Sheila Donnelly can be reached at 434-2233 or by e-mail at :mailto:newsroom@austindailyherald.com